Conveyer



Patented 29, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 5 Claims.

This invention relates'to a conveyer, and an object of the invention isto provide a conveyer having pivotally attached trailing flights forconveying material, with simple but very eflicient means for swingingthe flights to a material discharging position adjacent a dischargeopening.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improvedwhain andflight'hanger construction for an endless chain conveyer.

Other objects of the invention will appear hereinaiter, the novelfeatures and combinations being set forth in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawing,

Fig. 1 is a side elvational view of a conveyer comprising my invention,with parts broken away to show in detail the structure of the conveyerchain and flights; I

Fig. 2 is an enlarged side elevatlonal sectional view of a portion ofthe conveyer adjacent the top thereof a Fig. 3 is a sectional view takenon the line 3-3 p of Fig. 1, looking in the direction of the arrows;

Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 1, looking inthe direction of the arrows; and

Fig. 5 is an enlarged sectional view showing the structure of theconveyer chain and flight attaching mechanism.

The conveyer of my invention comprises a frame or casing Ill formed oftop section II, bottom section l2 and intermediate sections l3 and I4.It will be understood that the number of intermediate sections l3 and i4may be varied as desired and may have any desired configuration. In thedrawing the frame or casing I0 is generally L-shaped but it will beunderstood that any other desired shape may be provided.

The bottom section I2 is provided with a material receiving hopper l5below which is a double partition l6 which forms the top portion of aworking leg I1 and the bottom portion of a return leg I! of the frame orcasing It. The intermediate section I3 is formed of two spaced-apartsubstantially totally enclosing housings, as clearly illustrated in Fig.1 of thedrawing, and is preferably formed substantially rectangular incrosssection though the shape may be round or any other desired shape.The intermediate section is converges at its top and connects tointermediate section H in which the working leg I! and. return leg itare formed with a common intermediate wall is, best seen in Fig. 3 ofthe drawing. The wall I! continues into the top section II, as bestillustrated in Fig. 2 of the drawing, and said top section II includesan enlarged housing provided with a discharge openingor nozzleljl.

Within ,the frame or casing it is an endless chain conveyer 2| theworking run of which extends through the working leg i1 and the return 5run of which extends through the return leg IS. The endless chainconveyer 2| is formed of a draft mechanism in the form of a plurality ofpivotally attached chain links 22, the structure of which is best seenby reference to Figs. 4 and 5 of the drawing. Each of said chain links22 is provided with an integral arm 23 at one end of which is pivotallyattached a flight 24 by means of a hang rod 25, the hang rod 25 beingrigidly attached to the flight 24 and pivoted to arm 23 by pin 26. Thehang rod and arm 23 carry co-operating abutments 2! and 28,respectively, (see Fig. 5) which limit the pivotal movement of theflight 24 and hang rod 25 away from the link 22 :so that each flight 24gradually approaches the housing of the return leg It in properposition, as (clearly illustrated in Fig. 2' of the drawing.

As best illustrated in Figs. 3 and 4 of the drawing, each of the flights24 approximately fills the cross-section of the working leg as well asthe return leg I8. However, to provide free pivotal movement of theflights 24 with respect to the links 22 of chain 2|, each of saidflights is can trally notched at 29 which allows a liberal amount offree movement between'said flights 24 and links 30 22. This isparticularly important during the travel of the chain conveyer 2| aroundcurves or in case the legs ll or I8 of the housing are not entirelystraight. Furthermore, it provides for a free discharge of the materialby swinging the flights to a discharge position even though the workingleg I1 is substantially vertical at the point of discharge.

As above indicated. the flight 24 approximately fllls the cross-sectionof the working leg II. By this expression it is meant that material doesnot form as a continuous column or move as a unitary mass in the workingleg ll, but the material being conveyed is separated by the successiveflights 24. It is to be understood, however, that the flights 24 may beof a frame-like structure and permit the material which is conveyedsprocket 35 when provided is preferably adjustable to adjust the tensionon the chain conveyer To provide for the efficient discharge of mate-'rial elevated. by the flights 24 as they reach the position adjacentthe discharge opening 20, I provide mechanism for tilting said flights24 at said discharge position preferably in the form of a pair ofcams 36which are attached to the side walls of the top section I! and to thewall IQ of said top section II, as clearly illustrated in Figs.

2 and 4 of the drawing. As is manifest by reference to said Fig. 2, eachflight 24 will be swung outwardly to insure a thorough discharge of anymaterial being conveyed by way of the discharge opening or nozzle 20.

In the operation of the device comprising my invention, the material tobe fed, which will generally be in the form of. granular material suchas grain, coal, and numerous other granular or bulk materials, will befed to the hopper l5 and fall on the top portion or partition I6. The flghts 24 will scrape the material to the left, as viewed in Fig. 1 of thedrawing, until it falls over the end thereof and enters the bottomopening or entrance to the working leg H from where it is conveyedthrough said working leg IT by the .flights 24 in co-operation with thesubstantially totally enclosing working leg ll of the frame or casingl0.

As previously indicated, the material between the successive flights 24will be segregated or separated, but if a frame-like flight issubstituted for the flights 24 the material may move substantially inmass in the column of working leg As the material reaches the dischargeopening or nozzle 20 it will tend to flow therefrom, due to its granularcondition, and to assure a complete discharge of the material from theflights 24 said flights are tipped by being swung outwardly, as clearlyillustrated in Fig. 2 of the drawing.

As the flights 24 move over the sprocket 30 their swinging movement isrestricted by the co-operating stops 2! and 28 so that said flights movegradually into contact with the outer wall of the casing of return legI8. It is of course evident that during the conveying of materialthrough the working leg (1 the flights 24 are dragged along in atrailing fashion by the chain 2| and are free to follow the contour ofsaid leg I! by virtue of the fact that they are free to move withrespect to the links 22 of chain conveyer 2|. This insures againstbinding of the flights and reduces wear on the casing and on the flightsand as well keeps the amount of power consumed in the operation of theconveyer, at a minimum.

It is furthermore to be noted that the pull on the conveyer chain 2|,particularly around the curved intermediate section I3, is not in anymanner assumed by the flights 24 but is assumed by a direct contactbetween the inner face of the chain 2| and the inner wall of the casingof said intermediate section Hi. This further prevents any binding ofthe conveyer while. moving through the frame or casing l0.

Obviously those skilled in the" art may make various changes in thedetails and arrangement of parts without departing from the spirit andscope of the invention as defined by the claims hereto appended, and Itherefore wishnot to be restricted to the precise construction hereindisclosed.

Having thus described and shown an embodiment of my invention, what Idesire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. In a conveyer, the combination with a casing having an upwardlyextending substantially entirely enclosing leg and a discharge opening,endless draft mechanism in said casing for conveying material along saidcasing leg to said discharge opening, trailing pivoted flights carriedby said endless draft mechanism and cooperating with said leg to conveymaterial to said discharge opening said flights having openings throughwhich said draft mechanism freely passes while providing for lateralmovement of said flights relative thereto, and cam means for swingingsaid flights to material discharging position adjacent said dischargeopening.

2. In a conveyer, the combination with a casing having enclosing sidewalls forming an upwardly extending substantially entirely enclosingconveying leg, of an endless conveyer chain running through said leg, adischarge opening on said leg, a plurality of flights having hang rodspivotally attached to said endless conveyer chain ahead of'said flightsand'having openings through wh ch said chain freely passes, andmechanism comprising duplicate cams on opposite sides of said chainfor'swinging said flights away from said endless conveyer intodischarging position adjacent said discharge opening.

3. In a conveyer, the combination with a casing having enclosingsidewalls forming an upwardly extending substantially entirely enclosingconveying leg, of an endless conveyer draft means running through saidleg, a discharge opening.

on said leg, a plurality of flights having hang rods pivotally attachedto said endless conveyer draft means ahead of said flights and havingnotches through which said draft means freely passes, and a cam forswinging said flights away from said endless conveyer draft means intodischarging position adjacent said discharge opening.

4. In a conveyer, the combination with a substantially entirelyenclosing casing, of an endless conveyer chain running through saidcasing, flights having hang rods pivotally attached to said endlessconveyer mechanism ahead of said fl ghts and having notches freelyreceiving said chain, and cooperating abutments on said hang rods andconveyer chain for restricting the swinging movement of said hang rodsaway from said conveyer chain.

5. In a conveyer, the combination with a substantially entirelyenclosing casing, of endless draft mechanism running through saidcasing, trailing flights having hang rods pivotally attached to sa dendless draft mechanism and having openings through which said draftmeans freely pass while providing for lateral movement of said flightsrelative thereto, and cooperating abutments on said hang rods and draftmecha-.

nism for restricting the swinging movement of said hang rods relative tosaid draft mechanism.

ALBERT F. WHITE.

